1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for producing flanged bearings, in which a strip-form backing material is coated with overlay material, blanks are punched out of the coated strip and the blanks are formed into flanged bearings and finished. The invention also relates to a device for producing flanged bearings.
2. Related Prior Art
The production of flanged bearings entails a plurality of machining steps. Once the strip-form backing material has been coated with overlay material, the first step is to punch blanks out of the strips, whereafter grooves are formed in the area where the flange is to be produced. This means that the coating has to be removed in the area of the grooves. In the next manufacturing step, the flange is produced, after which the bearing shell is bent round, this being effected in a wrapping machine. The blank provided with the flange is clamped on a cylinder in the wrapping machine and a counter-cylinder effects the desired shaping.
This method exhibits a number of disadvantages. The punched-out blanks have to be gripped, held and transported by means of appropriate devices. This means that appropriate holding and receiving means have to be provided in the various machining stations, said means being more complicated, the smaller the flanged bearings. Moreover, handling of the blanks or partially formed bearings requires a lot of time, such that all in all it is possible to achieve only poor cycle times.
Another disadvantage is that only flanged bearings with maximum diameters of up to 30 mm may be produced. Wrapping machines are limited in particular by their drive mechanisms, which cannot be reduced in size at will owing to the considerable force required for wrapping flanged bearings. In the case of the production of flanged bearings with diameters&lt;30 mm, there is a risk that the cylinder provided for shaping might possibly break.